Special session of the General Assembly to
review implementation of Agenda 21

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and
the relevant chapters of Agenda 21,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 50/113, which invited the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to
provide inputs to the special session of the General Assembly to review
progress in implementing Agenda 21,

Recognizing the importance of the special session of the General
Assembly in 1997 to review progress made to date in the implementation of
Agenda 21,

Mindful of the role of the Convention on Biological Diversity in
promoting sustainable development, and reaffirming its commitment to the
three objectives of the Convention,

1. Requests the President of the Conference of the Parties to
transmit the annexed statement from the Conference of the Parties to the
special session of the General Assembly in 1997;

2. Also requests the Executive Secretary to provide to the special
session of the General Assembly and to the preparatory process such
information related to activities and developments under the Convention as
may be required, including the reports of the meetings of the Conference of
the Parties.

Annex

STATEMENT FROM THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION
ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY TO THE SPECIAL SESSION
OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
takes this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to the three objectives of
the Convention, namely the conservation of biological diversity, the
sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of
benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

A. The Convention on Biological Diversity and Agenda 21

2. The Conference of the Parties emphasizes the significance of the
Convention, and activities carried out in implementation of the Convention,
to the achievement of goals set out in many of the chapters of Agenda 21.
Sustainable development cannot be achieved without the sustainable use of the
world's biological diversity. The Convention provides a set of legally
binding commitments and is an important tool for translating the principles
of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and Agenda 21 into
concrete actions.

3. The Convention on Biological Diversity entered into force on
29 December 1993. The Conference of the Parties, at its first three
meetings, adopted a number of decisions aimed at elaborating and implementing
the provisions of the Convention. The Convention adopts an ecosystem
approach, both in its provisions and in its programme of work. The
integration of biological diversity considerations into relevant sectoral or
cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies is central to the Convention.
In addition, the Conference of the Parties attaches particular importance to
cooperation with other biological diversity-related conventions, institutions
and processes.

4. The Conference of the Parties recognizes that biological diversity is a
cross-cutting issue. The provisions of the Convention are of the utmost
relevance to a number of the issues reviewed by the Commission on Sustainable
Development to date, including: the planning and management of land
resources; combating deforestation; managing fragile ecosystems; promoting
sustainable agriculture and rural development; and consideration of marine
and coastal biological diversity.

5. The provisions of the Convention are also relevant to the cross-sectoral
issues reviewed by the Commission on Sustainable Development. In
its statement to the third session of the Commission on Sustainable
Development, the Conference of the Parties noted in particular the relevance
of the following cross-sectoral issues on the agenda of the third session of
the Commission on Sustainable Development: combating poverty; demographic
dynamics and sustainability; integrating environment and development in
decision-making; environmentally sound management of biotechnology; roles of
major groups; financial resources and mechanisms; transfer of technology;
science for sustainable development; and information for decision-making.

B. The Convention and chapter 15 of Agenda 21

6. The Convention is the principal global instrument relevant to achieving
the goals set out in chapter 15 of Agenda 21, Conservation of Biological
Diversity. At its third session, the Commission on Sustainable Development
urged States to sign, ratify, accede to and implement the Convention on
Biological Diversity. At the time of the third meeting of the Conference of
the Parties, 161 States and one regional economic integration organization
had done so, making this Convention the principal instrument for advancing
global cooperation and practical action in its field.

7. The first meeting of the Conference of the Parties, held in Nassau, the
Bahamas, in December 1994, set in place the mechanisms provided for by the
Convention. The second meeting, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, in November
1995, adopted substantive decisions aimed at facilitating the implementation
of the Convention.

C. The relevance of the Convention to other chapters of Agenda 21

8. Significant work has already been undertaken or initiated under the
Convention in relation to a number of key areas. For example:

(a) National planning processes

9. The Convention requires Parties, in accordance with their particular
conditions and capabilities, to develop national strategies, plans and
programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.
The second meeting of the Conference of the Parties decided that the first
national reports of the Parties, due at its fourth meeting, will focus on
measures taken for the implementation of Article 6 of the Convention (General
measures for conservation and sustainable use).

(b) Marine and coastal biological diversity

10. The second meeting of the Conference of the Parties adopted
decision II/10 on marine and coastal biological diversity, the Jakarta
Mandate. This decision proposes a framework for global action. The salient
features of the mandate are:

(i) support for and cooperation with other international
efforts;

(ii) development of a programme of work for the Convention
process, on the basis of five thematic areas, namely: integrated
marine and coastal area management; marine and coastal protected
areas; sustainable use of coastal and marine living resources;
mariculture; and alien species; and

(iii) the establishment of a roster of experts on the basis of
country input, which will draw upon expertise from scientific,
technical, technological, social, management, economic, policy,
legal and indigenous and traditional knowledge.

11. The first meeting of experts drawn from the roster is to be held in
Jakarta early in 1997. The Conference of the Parties also forwarded its
decision on marine and coastal biological diversity to the fourth session of
the Commission on Sustainable Development in 1996. Integral to the
implementation of the Jakarta Mandate will be cooperation with other relevant
institutions, processes and international agreements.

(c) Terrestrial biological diversity

12. The second meeting of the Conference of the Parties submitted a
statement to the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, and the Conference of
the Parties has considered further inputs. The Conference of the Parties has
also begun to consider further work in the area of terrestrial biological
diversity, including in relation to drylands and to the biological diversity
of mountain regions. At its third meeting, major consideration was given to
agricultural biological diversity.

(d) Environmentally sound management of biotechnology

13. Chapter 16 of Agenda 21 addresses the environmentally sound management
of biotechnology. The second meeting of the Conference of the Parties
established an Open-ended Ad Hoc Working Group on Biosafety to develop, in
the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified
organisms, a protocol on biosafety, specifically focusing on transboundary
movement, of any living modified organism resulting from modern biotechnology
that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity, setting out for consideration, in particular,
appropriate procedure for advance informed agreement. The Working Group held
its first meeting in July 1996 and reported to the third meeting of the
Conference of the Parties. The Working Group aims to complete its work by
1998.

(e) Technical and scientific cooperation, and capacity-building

14. A number of articles of the Convention address the issues of technical
and scientific cooperation and capacity-building, in which the clearing-house
mechanism will play a significant role. The second meeting of the Conference
of the Parties reaffirmed the importance of the clearing-house mechanism,
accessible to all countries, to support implementation of the Convention at
the national level. The Conference of the Parties noted that enhanced
cooperation with other information systems and activities would contribute to
the development of the clearing-house mechanism. A pilot phase of the
clearing-house mechanism was established.

(f) Financial resources

15. The Convention recognizes the need for new and additional financial
resources to enable developing country Parties to meet their commitments
under the Convention and to benefit from its provisions. The Conference of
the Parties has encouraged exploration of availability of additional
financial resources, and ways in which the activities of funding institutions
might be more supportive of the objectives of the Convention. In this
regard, the Conference of the Parties encourages bilateral and multilateral
funding agencies to incorporate more fully biological diversity
considerations into their activities.

(g) Financial mechanism

16. The Convention foresees that there shall be a mechanism for the
provision of financial resources to developing country Parties for the
purposes of the Convention. The Conference of the Parties decided at its
second meeting that the restructured Global Environment Facility should
continue to serve on an interim basis as the institutional structure to
operate the financial mechanism under the Convention. It also decided to
undertake the first review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism at
its fourth meeting and to undertake a review every three years thereafter.

17. The Conference of the Parties specifically requested the Global
Environment Facility as the interim institutional structure to implement the
relevant provisions of the following decisions: II/3 and III/4 on the
clearing-house mechanism; II/7 and III/9 on consideration of Articles 6 and 8
of the Convention; II/8 on preliminary consideration of components of
biological diversity particularly under threat and action which could be
taken under the Convention; II/17 on the form and intervals of national
reports by Parties; III/10 on identification, monitoring and assessment;
III/11 on conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biological
diversity; III/14 on implementation of Article 8 (j); III/15 on access to
genetic resources; III/18 on incentive measures; and III/20 on issues related
to biosafety. The additional guidance to the financial mechanism given by
the Conference of the Parties at its third meeting is contained in
consolidated form in decision III/5.

(h) Major groups

18. The major groups, identified in Section 3 of Agenda 21, participate in
the processes of the Convention, allowing them an opportunity to engage with
Governments over the implementation of the commitments made under the
Convention. In particular, certain provisions of the Convention specifically
address the interests of indigenous people and their communities, as well as
of other local communities.

D. Recent developments

19. The Conference of the Parties also draws to the attention of the
special session of the General Assembly the report of its third meeting, held
in Buenos Aires, Argentina (document UNEP/CBD/COP/3/38). The third meeting
considered, inter alia:

(a) The financial mechanism and financial resources for the effective
implementation of the Convention;

(b) Implementation of Articles 6 and 8 of the Convention;

(c) The conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biological
diversity;

(d) Terrestrial biological diversity;

(e) The implementation of Article 8 (j);

(f) Access to genetic resources;

(g) Technology transfer;

(h) The impacts of intellectual property rights on the conservation
and sustainable use of biological diversity;

(i) Incentive measures; and

(j) Cooperation with other conventions, institutions and processes.

E. Future work under the Convention

20. The Conference of the Parties draws to the attention of the special
session the further work envisaged under the Convention's medium-term
programme of work, including such areas as:

(a) Consideration of inland water ecosystems;

(b) Linkages between in situ and ex situconservation;

(c) Public awareness and education;

(d) Impact assessment and minimizing adverse impacts;

(e) Matters related to benefit sharing;

(f) Technical and scientific cooperation;

(g) Conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biological
diversity;

(h) Forest biological diversity;

(i) Implementation of Article 8 (j); and

(j) Indicators and methodologies for assessments.

21. At its fourth meeting, the Conference of the Parties will undertake a
longer-term review of the work programme of the Convention and the operation
of the Conference of the Parties and subsidiary organs, in the light of
progress and experience to date.

F. Cooperation with other conventions, institutions and processes

22. The Conference of the Parties affirms the importance it attaches to
cooperation and coordination between the Convention on Biological Diversity
and other conventions, institutions and processes of relevance. A number of
measures have already been taken to enhance such cooperation, including the
agreement of memoranda of cooperation between the Convention Secretariat and
the secretariats of certain other biological diversity-related conventions.
The Conference of the Parties emphasizes its commitment to continue to
explore effective mechanisms to cooperate with other conventions,
institutions and processes of relevance, and in particular the Commission on
Sustainable Development, to avoid duplication and promote efficient use of
resources in implementing its objectives and objectives contained in
Agenda 21 in an expeditious manner.

G. Future challenges

23. In spite of the progress made to date in implementing the objectives of
the Convention, Parties remain aware that biological diversity is being
destroyed by human activities at unprecedented rates. The Conference of the
Parties notes that a significant amount of work remains to be undertaken, in
collaboration with relevant conventions, institutions and processes, in order
fully to implement the Convention. It therefore calls upon the special
session to recognize the urgency of this work and to support it.

24. In particular, the Conference of the Parties recognizes that attention
needs to be paid, inter alia,to:

(a) The further raising of public awareness and the understanding of
the importance of biological diversity through educational programmes and
information;

(b) The rapid development and implementation of national strategies,
plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity;

(c) The consideration of appropriate arrangements for access to
genetic resources, and for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising
out of the utilization of such resources;

(d) The development of effective means to respect, preserve and
maintain the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local
communities and the equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the
utilization thereof;

(e) The transfer of and access to technologies relevant to the
Convention; and

(f) The provision of new and additional financial resources for the
implementation of the Convention.